To Catch A Thief
by Cat-Loves-Water
Summary: "As if we'd ever let our hard earned money get into the hands of the masses, they'd simply waste it." "This wouldn't happen to be the same hard earned cash I lifted off your friends tonight?"
1. To Catch A Thief

**Notes:**

This is the first time I've done something like this and I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I apologize for any errors, I know nothing about English grammar and it's unbetad. Title from Alfred Hitchcock. Obviously I own none of the VM universe.

Story originally written for the VM Fic Recs March challenge using the prompt Option 4: Dialogue Generator - e.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

Her incredulous expression forces a laugh from him. "Fine, it looks like you're cheating my friends out of all their hard earned cash."

"Taking their pocket change, guilty as charged. Hard earned money, I doubt very much. Cheating, never," is the blonde's reply.

In all honesty, this isn't her normal style. She prefers to hide behind the facade of Amber or Stacy or whoever she is on a given day but tonight she was short on time and couldn't come up with a better plan other than to just buy her way into the highly illegal gambling event going down at the rich boys' frat house.

The Echolls kid is still looking curiously at her so she pulls out the empty chair to her right. "Well Rubber Ducky, why don't you join the party and we'll find out if I can make off with your wallet too!"

Logan chuckles but accepts the proffered seat. She's actually still a little sad that he finally quit reacting openly to her jabs about his obnoxiously yellow beast of a car. However, she consoles herself with the thought that simply because he's learned not to show any visible signs of exasperation it doesn't mean that the boy isn't annoyed.

As Logan settles in beside her and is dealt into the next game, she surreptitiously scans the room and the other players spread out around the different tables.

It's everything one could expect from the frat house of upper-class white wannabe surfers and jocks. In fact, the place fits so many clichés and stereotypes that under different circumstances she would probably be laughing about the whole thing with Wallace and Eli but tonight it makes her skin crawl.

Startled from her inspection by a nudge, she lifts an inquiring eyebrow at her neighbour.

"Are you gonna play or have you changed your mind and are looking for a table with more gullible fools?"

Tilting her head slightly, she grins unabashedly, "Nope, just scoping out my next victims."

If she wasn't watching him so intently she'd have missed it, but Logan pauses for a fraction of a second before recovering and scratching at the back of his neck as he offers her his own devious look. "Game on Annoying One."

* * *

Four hours later she can't quite believe how low she's had to stoop to avoid entirely cleaning out the majority of these dumbasses. It's overly cliché but she wonders if little bits of her brain will soon dribble from her ears if she spends much more time in the present company.

By this point, she's had ample time to do the rounds of all the tables, however, much to her frustration, hasn't seen anything being exchanged other than bad jokes and the night is looking decidedly like another bust. The one saving grace (somewhat to her dismay) is that Echolls has more often than not occupied the role of her quasi companion at the different tables and while his game can't quite match hers, he's displayed a degree of wit that has, on more than one occasion, saved the necks of a number of poor (rich) douches from being throttled by an enraged blonde.

It is during a lull in the game, the occupants of the present table are having a particularly difficult time mastering the more obvious concepts of poker, that Logan turns to her. "You've been holding out on me, I had no idea there was a card shark hiding behind your sweet and shiny veneer."

"I'm sorry to bust your bubble kiddo, but you don't in fact have a monopoly on the whole mysterious and dark thing. And what's this about me being sweet?"

"I'd much rather hear more about how you find me dark and mysterious," Logan responds with unrestrained glee.

Barely avoiding an eye roll, she'd realised that line was a mistake as soon as it was out of her mouth, "Down puppy. That expression only applies to you because you have the temperament of a hormonal teenager, so you know, moody and unpredictable."

Shrugging off her flippant response, Logan turns back to wait for the table to finish squabbling but after a beat he swivels towards her again, "Don't worry Annoyingest One, you're not really sweet."

"I do believe that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

* * *

When whiny white boy number three complains for the umpteenth time that his hand should have won, Logan's suggestion to take a break comes as a genuine relief and they both wander over to the makeshift bar.

"Wanna bet how much that guy's parents shelled out to get him into Uni?" Logan wagers once safely hidden behind a beer cup as he points to the reason for their recent flight.

"Oh baby boy, you don't even know the half of it."

At Logan's questioning expression she chuckles, "You sure you really want to lower yourself to hear word on the street? It's dirty down here."

"I'm just studying how the natives communicate, call it academic curiosity."

"Whatever Echolls, you're totally a big gossip," she accuses but capitulates to his puppy dog look. "The kid's parents forked over a small fortune this past fall towards building the new wing for the medical school and to get their son in but the guy's already dropped out, his parents just don't know yet."

"How do you always manage to ferret out info like that?"

"I have my ways."

"So much for that building project," Logan smirks.

"I think it's a bit late to be taking the funds back, besides they'll go towards something that might help a lot of people."

"As if we'd ever let our hard earned money get into the hands of the masses, they'd simply waste it."

"This wouldn't happen to be the same hard earned cash I lifted off your friends tonight?"

Logan's only reply is to take another swig of his beer but the glint in his eyes betrays the fact that he's amused.

Not for the first time, she wonders why Echolls chooses to hang around with this crowd. Since their dubious first meeting a little over four months ago, she's developed an odd sort of competitive camaraderie with the infamous boy and while he still pisses her off a good half the time he's also the first person she's met who can truly match her wit for wit other than her father. Intelligence and brains are not in fact qualities that Logan Echolls lacks. While no one is safe from the sharpness of his tongue, the underhand insults he seems to delight in slugging at his uber-rich peers, make his choice in companions all the more baffling.

"So what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Laughing so hard she almost chokes on her water, "Seriously? You're going with that line?"

Logan's expression turns serious, "well, yes actually. What ARE you doing here?"

"A working girl's got to make a living somehow. Am I not up to the standards of this fine establishment?"

He makes what can best be described as a strangled sound hovering somewhere between amusement and exasperation. "That is not actually what I was referring to. Do you know what these guys are like? "

"Yes, in fact I do."

"Well then what made you think it was a bright idea to climb into the den of the beast on your own?"

At his tone, she bristles, "If they're so bad then what are you doing here?"

Arms crossed over his chest, Logan looks back at her stubbornly, "Uhuh, don't throw the question back at me, that's just immature, I asked first."

She refrains from pointing out that he's the one sounding juvenile, "Look." But Logan seems to have sensed that she was preparing to blow him off because he steamrolls over her. "I don't think you understanding what a fucking bad idea it is to come in here alone, especially looking the way you do."

"Wow, are you serious? Listen," she grits out but the boy's on a roll and cuts her off once more.

Losing patience, she finally grabs his chin with her hand, "Seriously shut up Echolls," before making off to the back of the room.

* * *

By the time Logan catches up, she's got a beefy prep kid cornered on the deserted back porch.

"Where did you get it from?"

"I donno?"

"Who gave you the drugs?" She'd seen the exchange of goods going down over Logan's shoulder in the main room.

"Drugs? I had no idea there were drugs in here. I'm telling you - the guy was a complete stranger, just walked up and gave me the bag."

Slipping her Taser out she presses it close to the kid's chest, successfully wiping off the cocky look he'd still been sporting. "What do you take me for, a munchkin? Spill. Now."

"I DON'T KNOW! Just some dude, ok? A friend knew I was looking to score."

"Score? Like unconscious girls?" She presses.

It's only a twitch on the guy's face but it's all the answer she needs.

"Jesus," Logan swears somewhere behind her.

"No ok, no!" the kid almost wails. "It's not what you think. I just got it for some fun, like go to a rave fun."

Controlling her breath she takes a slight step back. This isn't the guy she's after, he's too sloppy, but at some point his mind went to the same dark place as the sick fuck she is looking for. The kid before her may not have gotten around to doing anything other than imagining but damn it, he still went there. Willing her hands not to shake she gets the ass to hand over his wallet and takes down his ID. There isn't much more she can actually do without getting in a shitload of trouble. At least the kid is freaked out enough that he doesn't make a fuss.

Once she wrings out a detailed description of the guy who sold the drugs, unfortunately neither the kid nor his friend who had set up the deal apparently know the name of the supplier, she can't do anything more than let him run off.

As the adrenaline begins to fade she makes a beeline for the porch steps before her legs start to show any signs of the after effects. Other than the one expletive, Logan had been uncharacteristically silent but she hears the porch door close behind him as he makes his way back into the house. She finds that she lacks the energy to deal with that particular problem at the moment.

Taking stock of the situation, it's dawning on her that maybe (yet again) she didn't quite plan this one through as fully as she could have, and here she'd been thinking she was kicking ass in the whole 'personal growth' department. Dr. James would probably have a field day if she were around right now.

Distracted by the fuckery of everything, she doesn't hear Logan coming back so it's the feel of a cold beer against her shoulder that startles her from her thoughts and signals his return.

"I don't," she begins but Logan throws her a bottle opener as he settles down on the top step.

"It's not open," he says, looking fixedly out at the lawn.

"Thanks," she thinks to add as she pops the cap.

"So you're just full of surprises tonight."

"Aren't we all," she replies contemplating the beer in her hands.

"I'm not sure if I should be impressed or yell at you for so recklessly going after a guy four times your size."

She snorts, "That'd be a bit rich coming from you. Besides, isn't everyone bigger than I am?"

"Yeah, I'm not a complete idiot, notice that I'm not actually shouting."

"So what would you call that earlier display?"

It is an odd sight to see a chagrined Logan. He stops and starts twice before settling, "I just witnessed some pretty scary interrogation tactics and am having flashbacks to my misspent youth." Waving an arm in her direction he continues, "Give me a second to catch up, maybe re-evaluate the situation."

"And when was this misspent youth of yours, yesterday?"

Logan does a descent job of glossing over it but she still catches the pained expression that flits across his face. Maybe there was a bit of left over aggression bottled up in that attempt at humour.

"Sorry, that was uncalled for. Chalk it up to the adrenaline."

A wisp of a bitter laugh escapes his lips, "Not entirely undeserved though."

It must be some long lost instinct (because god knows it's not her brain thinking here) that causes her to reach out and squeeze his arm.

From what she's been able to dig up, which is probably too big a term for finding out about someone's past when it's already been minutely documented and picked apart by the press, Logan was a pretty big train wreck throughout his adolescents.

While he can still do a decent job of shrouding himself in spoiled, superficial jackass from time to time, god he's a pain in the ass, she's come to find that the role fits Logan as well as a sweater accidently put in the drier. Whatever evolution the boy is going through, it's not unlike watching the somewhat uncomfortable process of a snake shedding an old skin.

The sound of Echolls voice draws the blonde back to the porch. "So I'm guessing you're not going to tell me what you were actually doing tonight."

Lips pressed together, she shakes her head slightly.

Logan's features go through a complex array of emotions before settling as his eyes come to rest on the hand she belatedly realises she hasn't removed from his arm. "Well then, I think I need to come up with a better name for you. 'Annoying One' just isn't going to cut it."

Quirking an eyebrow at the change of topic, Logan ignores her and pushes on with his train of thought. "Well, let me see . . . hummmm. . . How about 'M'?"

"I don't get to be Bond?" She plays along.

"Nope, M's the one with the real power."

A comfortable silence hovers around the two as Logan finishes his beer and she swirls the remains of hers in figure eights. After a beat she glances over at her neighbour. "You know, I do believe this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"So we weren't friends before?"

As Logan grins back at her she laughs, "Well I guess we are now."


	2. Marnie

**Notes :** After much hesitation and trepidation I'm trying posting another chapter. I'm pretty sure that it just adds more confusion to the mix but isn't that the spice of life? I still have no idea what I'm doing nor do I know much about the English language or punctuation. Title again from Hitchcock. Obviously none of the VM universe is mine.

-/-

The sunlight is creeping away from where she's perched, which she could get up and follow if she weren't so comfortable with her present setup. Sighing contentedly she catches Wallace eyeing her over his beer.

"I can see your thoughts oh brother from another mother."

"Will you lay off that? I'm not your brother and you just like saying that because it rhymes," He huffs, swatting away the finger she's waggling in his face.

Eli chuckles, "So word on the street is that you're making friendly with a certain wealthy boy toy."

To which Wallace chimes in his agreement.

"Ok, how is gossip about my hypothetical personal life getting down to narcotics? "

"And you," she points accusingly at Wallace, "how the hell did you hear about it?"

The latter escapes behind a swig of his beer so she turns her attention to the other inhabitant of the porch.

"Well an old thug like me has few joys left in life."

She guffaws, shoving her neighbour over, "Yeah, somehow I doubt that. For one, you've only got a few years on me _old man_ and two, I don't care how many tats there are on that body of yours, you could never pull off the thug for real. You just like your job because you get to play dress-up."

Ignoring what she might have potentially admitted to a certain person a few weeks ago, she adds, "ALSO, not that it's ANY of anyone's business but there is jack squat going on with the kid. Nada. Zilch. Just business"

At her outraged expression, Eli and Wallace both laugh in her face.

"Chill girl, we're just looking out for a sister," Wallace manages to get out.

"Oh, so now we're related Soda Pop?!"

-/-

The sun has vacated the steps by the time the trio regains some semblance of composure.

Rolling the neck of his beer in his hands, Eli's expression turns serious, "I thought you were back at Uni because you'd actually wanted to take a little break."

"I did, I am. I'm also giving Weidman a hand. Two birds, one stone, that kind of thing."

"Weidman, huh?"

She holds her breath, afraid that Eli will point out the hypocrisy of her statement, fearful of where his thoughts might be leading, of having to explain the knifes edge she's presently treading on, but after a beat he seems willing to let it drop.

"Well Agent Carter, you just let us know if you need anything then."

"Seriously, why does everyone seem to think that I need some special code name?"

"Oh?" pipes up Wallace, "Who gets to tease you other than us?"

At her grumbling reply the men fall back laughing again.

"You sure you want to keep insisting that you're not making friends with the rich boy?" Eli finally wheeze's out.

Shutting down that line of questioning, she quips, "But seriously folks, Agent Carter? What am I supposed to be? Part of Captain America's team now?"

"Sure, why not?" shrugs Wallace.

"Couldn't you have picked a more interesting comic book hero? I'm pretty sure even Super Man manages to be less boring than Captain America."

"Well I hate to be the one to tell you this chica but Super Woman is way too law abiding for you."

"Amen to that," adds Wallace as the men tap beers. And that is just one of the many reasons why she loves these two so much. They know there's probably more going down on multiple levels but they'll leave her alone with her secrets, there for her if she needs a hand, trusting that she'll let them in when she's ready.


	3. Vertigo

Here we go with another try, pretty much completely lost but what a ride! Title from Hitchcock. I stole a line or two from the tv show and used them for my own evil purposes. Thanks to everyone who took the time to review.

* * *

"Where do you get all these shit old movies from anyway, M?" he shouts from the small living room.

"'Vertigo' is a classic and if you'd rather watch Michael Bay blow up crap you know where the closest Cineplex is."

"Alternately," she adds as she comes from her bedroom with a blanket, "You could just head over to your dad's, I think your father specializes in inane violence."

She's a little flabbergasted by his stricken look. "You're seriously going to argue that 'The Long Haul' was a cinematic and intellectual masterpiece?!"

"You dare mock the work of the great Aeron Echolls?" His tone is offended but the smirk he is barely containing has replaced his earlier expression. Obviously she's just said something that pleases him especially.

Jotting down a mental note to find out some other time whatever had him so horrified, she replies flippantly, "I don't care how sorry I feel for you for being the son of a questionable actor, I'm not sure that I can risk bringing out Hitchcock if you're actually going to argue the merits of your father's movies."

"I think the lady doth protest too much."

"I'm pretty sure that attempting to quote Shakespeare lost any appeal somewhere back in high school. And that particular line was killed by overuse years ago. It's dead, really, let it rest in peace."

"Admit it M, you only watch these films because my commentary and wit amuses you."

"Don't you know it. This right here. My over-the-moon face." She proceeds to throw the blanket at his head (yeah she knows, real mature) and to hightail it to the kitchen for snacks.

"Where is my cookie jar?"

Later, after she's retrieved the cookies from their hiding place behind Logan and the couch pillows and insisted that before the movie could start the boy had to clean up the mess he made trying to secretly cram too many snickerdoodles in his mouth, she puzzles over how she came to find herself in the present circumstances.

It's not that the young woman doesn't get a kick out of her verbal sparring with Echolls (the extent of which he must NEVER know) or the surprising camaraderie she's developing with the boy (man?). The fact of the matter though is that she takes pride in her ability to read people and dig up secrets. However, the first time that Echolls had come around when Lily happened to be out and the blonde had let him in to wait for her wayward roommate, while she'd known chances were high that Lily would fail to materialize she never could have foreseen that Logan had a secret jonesing for obscure old films.

When a quarter of the way through the movie she had put on that fateful night with no roommate in sight, nothing up to that point had led her to consider the possibility that Logan Echolls would stay to the end of the film, mouthing along to the dialogue he was obviously familiar with and interjecting his sharp and annoyingly funny remarks along the way.

Unconsciously frowning at her couch-mate as he munches on the cookies he's magically succeeded in getting his hands on again without her noticing, she can't help but think that to add insult to injury, the real reasons that have since led the infamous son of Aeron Echolls to choose to camp out in her living room on an alarmingly regular basis, insulting her and her film choices, persist in remaining somewhat of a mystery.

At times the young woman is tempted to broach the subject but that line of questioning involves a greater degree of intimacy than ridiculing one's guest's hairstyle. It might also necessitate some personal questions, like why she lets him in or what went down recently at the frat house, and she's not so matured that she can't engage in a little avoidance.

Today though, Echolls had shown up on her doorstep with a shitload of honest to god books and hadn't pulled out the tired excuse of hanging with Lily to stop by. Instead Logan had used the pizza he'd also brought along to barter for access to her living room in order to do research and as a sanctuary from his "blockheaded, fucktards of excuses for roommates," as he'd so delicately put it.

Absentmindedly, she takes a cookie when Echolls nudges her with the plate, offering up the last ones. And therein perhaps lies the crux of the problem, because every time she thinks she's got the guy pinned down he goes about and changes the game. Like tonight when he'd seriously spent the last four and a half hours working until she cried uncle and suggested a movie break.

"So you actually don't like my fath - Aeron and his films?" The man of the hour asks, startling the young woman from her thoughts.

Eyeing him and his serious expression warily for a moment she collects herself before answering, "Titanic once won best picture at the Oscars and all anyone remembers is a semi-naked Kate Winslet and that annoying song by that singer from Canada."

"Celine Dion."

"See, this is what I've been talking about, I don't know if I should be allowing you in here. Now I will never be able to unlearn that piece of information."

"You're just embarrassed because you used Titanic to make a point. I bet you dreamed about your hair blowing in the wind up on the deck of that ship when you were a kid."

"I don't have hair to blow around."

"But you must have as a kid. I can picture you now. You're dancing in the arms of DiCaprio as your heart goes on and on," He mimes, exaggeratedly sweeping his arms out in a fluid movement.

"Oh my god, please stop."

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, miss DeWitt. Cameron sank a massive ship and Kate was naked. No shame in watching. Of course I was a horny teenage boy at the time, so I have a better excuse than you. . . Unless there's something you want to share with me?" He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

"Ug, you know too much about Titanic. My street cred is diminishing by the second in your company."

When Logan refuses to be thrown off and continues to look expectantly at her she sighs.

"Fine. Obviously I don't know your father so I can't say much for his character but no I'm not the greatest fan of his movies."

She hesitates but whatever, in for a penny, in for a pound, "Also, he makes a fortune off of shilling out his personal life." She scrunches her face in distaste instead of finishing the thought.

For an instant, the room feels heavily charged, with what she's reluctant to contemplate, so it (almost) comes as a relief when Echolls chooses to go with an annoying retort.

"I'm still not sold. Some really great films and actors have won Oscars."

She doesn't refrain from rolling her eyes at him in reply, "Doesn't mean squat. There's also a jungle tribe that worships Donald Trump's hair."

"Are you really sure that Hitchcock is all that good?" Logan pushes, "He never did win a competitive Academy Award."

Bursting out laughing despite herself, she smacks him in the head with the nearest cushion. "I knew you'd heard of Hitchcock before!"

"Violence is never the answer!" Logan proclaims as he works to pry the pillow from her grasp.

"Oh that's rich, Mr. McFisty. Besides, your precious Lauren Bacall never won an Oscar either, so shut up and watch the movie!"


	4. Notorious

I kind of feel as if there needs to be another chapter between this one and the previous one but it's not coming to me, so I'm throwing this chapter out there. Title from Hitchcock. Possibly stole some dialogue from the TV show but my mind is so muddled at this point that I don't remember. Feel free to share your thoughts, feedback is always welcome.

I own none of the VM universe, of course.

* * *

It's Friday night and although she has other things she should really be doing, a thesis does not in fact write itself and psychos doesn't suddenly find the errors of their ways, she'd promised Lily that she would make it out to "the party of the century, you just can't miss it," as Lily had exclaimed the day before.

In all honesty, she hasn't quite hit it off with her oft absent roommate. It's not that she dislikes Lily and her antics but for multiple reasons, well whatever. In an attempt to humour the girl, she'd agreed to go out to what is sure to be a congregation of insecure pimples beating their chests and strutting around while attempting to get as wasted as possible as quickly as possible. Never let it be said that there are limits to the blonde's cynicism.

Anyways, it's due to Lily that at 10 p.m. she's scurrying around the apartment trying to put the place into some semblance of order since she won't have time to do so over the weekend if she's away tonight. When she opens the door to take out the trash she runs smack into Echolls.

"Lily isn't here," she blurts.

"Hello to you too M."

Things have been. . . different in the time since the infamous poker misadventure. For one, Echolls seems to take an inordinate amount of pleasure in calling her 'M.' Knowing her luck, pretty soon she'll be introducing herself by the stupid moniker. Also they actually hang out together to do things, on purpose, like real friends. Damn Echolls.

"Yeah, yeah, hi right back at you jackass," she gripes.

Laughing at the grumpy welcome, Logan snatches one of the bags from her and falls into step as she makes her way to the bins around the side of the apartment.

"What are you doing here Echolls?"

"Well we handed in our ethics for approval today so I thought a relaxing evening was called for. I was thinking I'd watch some TV and you could rub my feet."

"Wow that was specific and disturbing. Kudos and extra points for questionable ethics. What committee did you mention submitting to again?"

Unfazed, Echolls skips ahead and disposes of his load before spinning gracefully back, "Why're you scurrying around like an even busier beaver than usual?"

"Places to be, things to do!"

Feigning disbelief the young man replies dramatically, "Why I do declare, Ms. M are you hatching some nefarious plan?"

"No, idiot, going out for some fun, like go to a rave fun."

"Still too soon to joke about that?" she adds at his choked expression.

"It's just not every day I see someone looking so tortured about doing something fun and, you know, quoting scum of the earth in order to underline just how 'excited' they are."

Snorting, she counters, "I would've expected you to be delighted to find someone who can match your cynicism and total disregard for propriety."

"I think you're missing the point."

"Fine, why don't you show me a good time?"

"Are you proposing what it sounds like you are M? because I could get behind that."

Wrestling some control over her mouth and the conversation, "Nope, it's all G rated here, well as G rated as plans with Lily can be. I guess you could come along though and fete your submission, be your generally jerky and inappropriate self. I can judge you along with the rest of the student population. Guarantied fun for me really."

"I suppose I could sacrifice myself for the greater good for just one night."

"Please don't put yourself out."

"Oh I never have to, they just come to me."

"You're so full of shit. If you're tagging along we're taking my car."

"Hey, what's the matter with mine?" He whines.

"I'm not even gracing that with an answer Duck Boy. Drive your beast or come with me, it's the same difference, either way I avoid being completely mortified. On second thought maybe you should just take your own car."

"Wow, you on the rag or something? You're bitchier than usual."

"Resorting to cheap knocks, I'm disappointed Echolls. I guess you just can't keep up with me."

"You're a cruel woman M."

"And you're an ass."

* * *

Logan ends up hitching a ride in her old LeBaron. It's not as if he's likely to be in any state to drive later anyways. He teases her mercilessly the entire way.

By the time they make it to the party, the young woman's hunch about her roommate is confirmed and Lily is almost three sheets to the wind. On locating the tipsy girl, Logan makes a hasty retreat to the kitchen for 'refreshments' and promptly disappears, which is a change the shorter blonde has yet to fully acclimatise to. At first, she hadn't actually registered the shift because Logan still spends as much time bothering her as ever. Nevertheless, it's come to dawn on the young woman that while he continues to stop by the apartment, he's been mum on the topic of Lily.

She's not quite sure if this is just a new chapter in the Echolls and Kane fuckery of a friendship she hadn't yet been privy to or whether Logan is remarkably altering the dysfunctional game he's so far played with his childhood friend. When she dares to be honest, the unsettled state of affairs between her roommate and her new. . . friend makes the blonde jumpy. However, she's still smarting from not having noticed the change sooner, so silence is golden.

* * *

"You know I went t'Harvard," slurs Lily out of the blue later that evening.

The other woman does. She also knows that Lily flunked out a few years back, too much hard partying, and has been living on a reduced budget since the socialite can't get full access to her trust fund without a completed degree, hence the shared apartment.

"You're a wonder." She says, not without kindness.

"You're all jus' lucky I came back to share my br'lliance with you'll."

Evidently the young Kane has been imbibing the prime juices in the time since they took over the couch because she's sprawled out haphazardly and it's looking like the night is pretty much coming to a close for the girl.

"Yes Lily, you're the best."

"I am, aren't I?"

The insecurity is buried a good ten feet beneath the remark but even if Echolls sometimes insists on making her job hard, Lily she reads like the back of her own hand. With almost complete certainty, the blonde can say that (amongst other things) the evidence points to Lily having been a big fish in a small pond throughout high school who stumbled when she hit the high seas. Cheesy analogies aside, the young woman is willing to bet that it is similar reasons that drive the Kane heiress to periodically try and drag Logan into reliving mythological 'glory days' of a generally nefarious design in spite of appearing to have little vested interest in the person Logan is moulding himself into.

"I see Princess is trying to recapture days of yore." Coming from behind the couch, Echolls remark parallels her own thoughts unsettlingly.

"Huh, you remind me of someone and they're not my favourite person right now, abandoned me to the wolves!"

Logan chuckles, "Poor wolves."

"Try sitting through hours of people waxing poetics' about their high school years. High school!" She gripes but nudges her dozing roommate over and shifts to make room on the couch.

Flopping down smoothly beside her Echolls smirks mischievously, "So does that mean I'm usually your favourite person?"

"Yup. My favourite person to ridicule."

The two shove back and forth a bit before settling into a comfortable little cocoon as Echolls lazily nurses his drink and she enjoys not having to make nice with anyone. It's an unanticipated but welcome facet that has developed between the two. For, in defiance of all evidence to the contrary, behind his over-the-top gestures and frenetic energy, Logan has moments of tranquility.

Not lacking in thoughts she'd rather avoid though, the blonde ultimately breaks the silence, "I didn't really mention it earlier, but congrats on submitting your ethics."

Logan's habitual cockiness is noticeably absent, "Yeah I'm pretty psyched. Hopefully they accept it and we'll be able to start testing soon. And uh, thanks for all your help."

Waving him off, "It was nothing."

"I took over your living room for weeks."

"Lily was away so it was no big deal and it just helped me stay on top of my own work," She dismisses, uncomfortable herself with the recognition.

"Ok, good. Thanks for letting me eat all your cookies then."

"On second thought, you owe me big time."

Logan lets out a genuine laugh that the blonde can't help but respond to.

Eventually calming, she smiles, "So what deviltry have you been up to tonight?"

"Trying this thing called laying low. Maybe you should give it a try M."

"I always keep a low profile," she huffs indignantly, "I am a bit disappointed however, I was promised a good time but have seen decidedly little jackassery tonight. Where are the drunken displays, the violence, the inappropriate remarks?"

"Lily seems to have taken care of the drunkenness." Logan adds with a grin, "But the night is still young, I'll think of something."

Getting up she looks down at her past-out roommate but addresses the man beside her. "I think you'll have to make it up to me some other time. I've had just about as much fun as I can handle and I should probably get this one to bed. You wanna ride or are you gonna find your own way home?"

"Na, I think I'm about done here, might as well head back as well."

* * *

They've almost made it out the door with Lily awkwardly slung between them when a group of inebriates knock into the trio, causing the blonde to stumble and separating Echolls and Kane from the shortest member of their group. As she rights herself, her support turns out to be a body whose arms pull her around and further way from her companions.

"Hey, don't I know you bitch?"

Her stomach bottoms out at the sight before her.

The weasely steroid yanking her by the arm is a slap in the face, a reminder of past injustices and is a potentially ominous manifestation in light of what she's been seeking out. The weight of his presence hitting her so hard she stands rooted to the spot.

Jerking her arrogantly, the dick turns to his companions. "This skank tried to nail me for some stupid shit, like I don't know the difference between yes and no."

Spitting in the blonde's face, "You and whores like that Carmen are all the same."

The bile rises in the back of her throat and it finally registers that now is not the time to hang around and that moving might be a good thing to do. She just needs to reach her free hand into her bag — either the alcohol has finally taken effect or the party goers have been itching for an all-out brawl because things go to hell when Echolls' fist connects with the dick's chin.

With the sudden crowd swarming too thickly for her to reach Logan easily, she does the next best thing. Retrieving Lily from the entryway, she drags the girl out to the LeBaron as quickly as possible then sprints back to the house.

Bursting through the door she shouts at the top of her lungs, "The cops are coming!"

It has the general desired effect as the majority of people clear the room. Echolls is still duking it out though with two of the dicks or at this point a more accurate description would be being crushed to a pulp on the floor.

Using her Taser on one and kicking the other asshole hard in the nuts, she grabs Logan, virtually flinging him out of the house, then hauls him down the driveway towards the street. And because life truly is a bitch, the skies choose that precise moment to open up above them, making way for a downpour before they're three steps out the door.

Undeterred by the rain, when they come to a stop beside the LeBaron, she takes a moment to inspect the man leaning on the other side of her car. "Jumping June bugs, boy you look like crap."

Wheezing out a chuckle, Logan shrugs one shoulder slightly and points to the sky."I feel like maybe we should be re-enacting some scene from the Notebook here. Why don't you scream at me or something and then I can shut you up with a kiss."

"You and your cheesy romance movies."

Despite her flippant retort, she trudges around to where Logan is standing to better assess the damage. No need to let him know just how close she'd been to seriously chewing him out.

"So what was that guy screaming about?"

"The president sucks, immigrants are destroying our once mighty country, who knows."

Grimacing as she pushes the rain drenched hair from Logan's forehead and inspecting the nasty looking gash peaking from his hairline. "I'm not sure if I should be impressed or yell you for so recklessly going after those idiots."

"Gee I wonder where I've heard that line before."

"I guess I spoke a little hastily earlier. You came through, at least you sure know how to make a scene," she bites back.

"Don't make me laugh," he grumbles.

"You may need stitches."

Reaching up, Logan clasps her hand and draws it down, "I'm fine M. I've had much worse."

"In spite of popular belief, no one's impressed by guys who are stupid enough not to —"

Gently stopping the blonde with a hand against her lips Logan smiles uncertainly, as if he's genuinely caught off guard and touched by her concern.

When Echolls reaches up in turn and pushes the wet hair from her face, the young woman notices in that odd way that one's mind tends to focus on the most random things in moments of stress that the night air is actually pleasant. The warm drops of rain making paths down her arms seem to mingle with the veiled emotions in Logan's actions.

"I'm fine, really. Nothing a little disinfectant and a Band-Aid won't cover."

Taking a fortifying breath she steps back, "Alright Rambo, Let's get home then before the cops actually do show up and arrest someone."


	5. The Man Who Knew Too Much

NOTES:

Thanks so much to the people who have taken the time to comment and send feedback. It is helpful beyond words. This took longer than I expected to get up, but it's also longer than any of the chapters I've written before so hopefully that kind of makes up for the delay.

Title again from Hitchcock, I think there are also some lines again from the TV show but at this point I can't remember which ones. Also, I'm pretty sure that the innital premise for this chapter comes from a VM FICREC prompt that was published on tumblr a while back, so thanks to that amazing bunch of women for their always excellent ideas.

* * *

M (yes it happened, resistance was in fact futile) is trying to make a hasty getaway at the end her late afternoon seminar when Logan manages to catch her at the exit.

"You want me to go to a beer festival with you in San Diego?"

"Come on it'll be fun."

"Yeah, because 'having some fun' worked out so well last time." She snorts.

"In all fairness that wasn't my idea. You were the one who decided to go out with Lily."

Not wanting to delve into any of the possible landmines associated with that particular night, M heaves her bag further up her shoulder and moves through the doors leading to Hearst's main courtyard, eying Logan suspiciously as he makes to follow. "Isn't a beer festival a little low class for you? I thought you only got wasted on champagne."

"My drinking problem sometimes dines to mingle with the rabble. Seriously, you might even enjoy yourself. I know you struggle to resist my charms but you're welcome to invite a friend along for protection. I'll even come by and pick you up so you don't have to worry about your precious rust bucket around a crowd of rowdy beer enthusiasts."

"Yeah, 'cause you're just so irresistible. And how am I and my theoretical friend supposed to get home when they cart off your inebriated ass?"

Grinning, Logan hops down the front steps instead of answering and grabs the short blonde by the waste, swinging her around before setting her back on her feet and remarking offhand. "You know you're pretty light for a mangy pit pull."

"Watch it buster, this bitch is armed and dangerous."

At her warning Logan drops his hands from her waste and raises them in surrender as he skips further down the walkway.

"You are an ass-kicking goddess and I bow down in the face of your awesomeness." He's teasing but lets out a laugh that is all genuine admiration.

When M dares to glance back over at Echolls she finds that he's managed to get his hands on a pen (that looks suspiciously familiar) and is performing ridiculously cheesy finger acrobatics. Really, it's still a little disconcerting being around someone who isn't intimidated or put off whenever she's not playing at chipper Betty or Amber. Not unwelcome but definitely odd. Shaking her head, she almost wishes she still felt the contact of his hands.

Regardless of what M is not yearning for though, Logan is definitely up to something. Granted he's still his generally cocky, annoying self but there's an abnormal layer of chipperness to his demeanor and if she didn't know better she'd swear he was almost a little nervous. It's kind of a wicked and tempting combination sure to lead to nothing good.

"You're up to something Echolls, my spidey senses are tingly." She accuses as they approach her car.

"Me? I'm the picture of innocence."

At M's non-pulsed expression Logan settles down a bit and offers a different answer. "I can't take any of my roommates because they're already banned from last year."

"Least surprising piece of news I've heard so far today. Why don't you pick a member of your fan club then? I'm sure you've got plenty to choose from."

When Logan doesn't immediately reply, she turns to him accusingly. "I am not one of your fans Echolls!"

"That's actually pretty hysterical M. You must have some masochistic interests if you think I'd consider spending time with you anything but torture for my ego." More genuinely Logan adds. "Maybe I just don't want to hang out with certified idiots or fame whores."

Returning Logan's sheepish grin, she asks despite her better judgement. "Ok, so what exactly is this supposed beer fest really and when is it going down?"

* * *

M is seriously considering that it may be a sign of her impending insanity that instead of flat-out turning Logan down she had suggested he drop in on his way out to see if she had managed to get enough work done to justify taking the rest of the night off. Unfortunately, since she pulled up in front of her apartment after their run-in on campus, it's definitely not looking good for her sanity. To say the least, she is now beyond annoyed with herself for making the proposition to Logan while simultaneously pissed at the man for reading her so well because she KNOWS Logan isn't answering his cell so she can't tell him not to bother coming by. She's also raging at her inability to get a certain unexpected guest now most definitely on her blacklist out of her apartment before Echolls shows.

Breaking into her cranky thoughts, the unwelcome individual in question shouts, "Hey, chica, there's another pretty boy here for you. You really should have told me you had a vermin problem," as he opens her door to Echolls.

Not missing a beat, Logan replies from the doorstep. "Damn, that sucks M. Do you need me to call the exterminators?" Shifting his attention to the other occupant of the apartment he adds. "I guess you don't have a cousin that could help out, that type of qualification has got to be beyond you people and kind of like an oxymoron."

Gritting her teeth, M pushes her friend out of the way and ushers Echolls in, closing the door behind him before making introductions. "Weevil this is Logan. Logan this is my friend Weevil."

Echolls smirks. "I see I'm not the only one slumming it tonight. Looks like you've got a head start on me though M, guess we'll have to go skirt chasing together some other time. Although I have to say, you seem to be really scraping the bottom of the barrel."

Before she can smack Logan with her own retort, the evil incarnation of her (ex)friend butts in. "Oh no, we're free. My girl here was just mentioning your plans and I'd love to come along." He finishes by slinging an arm around M's shoulders, which he will pay for severely at a later point in time. If Logan knew anything about M's friend, he'd know the older man was regretting his last move just slightly but Echolls very evidently has no clue as the two continue to toss insults back and forth with increasing intensity.

The though briefly flits through M's mind that her life is apparently some sort of bizarre snow globe that has just been shaken so hard that all the separate figurines have come unglued and are now jumbled together. It's certainly the most plausible explanation for her poor and unsuspecting living room being subject to a quasi-standoff between these particular men. Quite frankly the situation is a little too surreal to wrap her head around so before they can discover just which of the two is the biggest idiot, she finds herself saying something along the lines of 'Great, let's get this party on the road!' As if she were an actual chipper Californian blonde (yes, she's from California and blonde but the comparison most definitely stops there).

It only dawns on M while she's yanking everyone out the door that she has no real plan, that this probably ranks up there with some of her more stupid ideas and that at the moment she's quite possibly the greatest fool in the present company.

"What were you thinking coming over here? And why did you have to go and be such an ass?" She nevertheless hisses as they make their way down the walkway.

Putting a little distance between them and Logan, Eli whispers furiously back. "Weevil? Seriously, M, what am I, a larva now?! Besides, your boy started it."

"Not my boy. Also I wasn't expecting you to stop by so I had to think fast. Sorry if the name doesn't live up to your standards, ok?"

"No shit Goldilocks. I think I agree with Wallace, you're officially banned from the naming department."

"Well if we're going with the nursery rhymes theme, you Little Piggy are not helping and you're going to get my shit blown to high hell with your games so back off."

* * *

Miraculously they make the drive to San Diego in one piece. Under different circumstances M might actually have enjoyed the trip and walking through the festival sampling from the different microbreweries. Instead she's doing her best not to bash in the heads of certain individuals. God knows she loves Eli like the brother she most definitely never asked for and she is actually really grateful to have such a solid person on her team. Damn it though if he can't take 'utter pain' to new heights when he gets it into his head that someone is creaping towards potential friendom in her life and that taunting them is the best way to gage their worthiness. Logan turns out to be no better as he fails spectacularly to disguise the fact that he's totally losing his shit as he behaves in ways she hadn't even known he was capable of. Grudgingly M can admit that she could probably have foreseen that the two men's personalities had the potential to react explosively with one another if introduced in an uncontrolled environment but then she had never really considered that Logan would ever cross paths with someone from her actual life!

At any rate, M's famous patience (or lack thereof as some would argue) manages to handle almost an hour (forty minutes) of Eli's shtick and Logan taking his crap nuclear while he flirts with anything in skimpy attire (not that she cares who he flirts with), before her reservoir (cup) of patience dries up and she orchestrates Eli's departure to some snobbish looking stall sure to affront him (he deserves it for being such a dick) and decides to subtly tackle whatever the hell is going down with Logan.

"The way you flirt is shameful." Ok, so maybe subtle isn't really her jam.

"Oh I'm sorry are my actions an affront to your sensibilities, I didn't think that with you carrying around that trash, you'd be bothered by my choice in entertainment."

"If you're referring to a particular childhood friend of mine, please know that I will later be flaying them for showing up at my doorstep unannounced and being rude, just as soon as I'm sure I won't be caught by any witnesses." M holds up a hand stopping Logan from interrupting her. "But not before I taze you for acting like a completely psychotic ass-shat instead of your usually annoying jackass self."

"You've known Weevil since you were kids?"

"Yeah, he's the big brother I never wanted. I'm pretty sure I mentioned earlier that he was a friend."

"But. . ." Logan starts and then stops before he gives up and scratches at the back of his neck.

"God and women get shit for being emotionally unpredictable. Didn't you suggest that I bring a friend along to resist your supposed charms? Which, for the record, I can't say I would have needed Weevil around to accomplish, you seem to be doing a damn good job of being repellant all on your own. Seriously what is going on?"

The dickishness suddenly completely absent, Logan answers evasively. "Nothing really. Me being an ass like usual. Just drop it."

"Um no, you can tell me right now what's going on."

"M, can you trust me when I say it's nothing you need to hear about."

"Nope, we're doing this right now."

"Jesus, you really want me to bare my soul in the middle of a crowd of people in beer induced comas? Can't you just trust me when I say that it's stupid crap?"

Grabbing Logan's elbow she drags him to an empty space between two tents. "Yeah, you know I don't work that way."

Logan pulls from her grasp and crosses his arms as he eyes her resentfully. "Fine. It was just, a little like déjà vu, ok?"

When M doesn't do anything other than regard him unmovably, Echolls sighs and stuffs his hands in his pockets, refusing to look at her while he speaks. "You've probably been able to guess most of this anyways but at the end there with Lily it got kind of fucked up. I used to make plans to hang with her and half the time she'd just blow me off. The rest of the time though she'd usually end up bringing along some dick and she'd be a bitch while the guy gave me the evil eye all night and when it was over she'd yell at me for not being nicer. It wasn't the worst of what went down but. . ." Running his fingers through his hair Logan finally lets out his breath and looks up at the short blonde. "I know, I know, I'm such a girl."

"I take affront to that, girls kick ass."

Logan laughs, less nervous this time. "All right, yeah it was a bad comparison. I just never wanted get stuck in that kind of situation again."

"As you never stop reminding me Echolls, I'm always a bitch. Am I being more of one than usual?"

While M takes stock of the man before her as he sheepishly confirms that she hasn't been anything other than her usual level of bitchiness, a terrifying possibility (more or less) successfully buried until now unexpectedly rears its head and she finds herself experiencing an odd emotion. Suddenly very uncertain of the answer she wants to hear, M goes the roundabout route. "Ok, so that's it?"

"Hey, I just bared my soul and you ask if that's all?"

M rolls her eyes at him, not sure if she's hiding a sense of relief or disappointment. "You know what I mean, any other issues you feel the need to air because the floor is closing soon. Keep in mind that this kind of opportunity doesn't come around often."

To her surprise, Logan doesn't simply offer up a flippant retort and a few charged seconds pass while M tries not to fidget and Logan appears to actually seriously contemplate his short companion and her question as if mulling over something in particular but whatever the thought he seems to discard it before shaking his head in the negative.

In all honesty, added to her new confused emotions, the fact that Logan could think her capable of any of the shit that went down with Lily kind of pisses M off when all is said and done. However, perhaps Logan's willingness to drop his evasive tendencies in this instance is enough. And maybe just maybe she's grown enough to admit (at least for a moment) that she doesn't really have the higher moral ground.

"Ok then, let's try doing this again." She finally says, pulling Logan over to where she's spotted Eli checking out some questionable food-like substance.

"Logan, this is my very obnoxious friend Weevil who is a secret softy and whose ass I am burdened with saving time and again. Please do not listen to half of what comes out of his mouth because he's full of shit." Turning slightly towards Eli, "Weevil, Logan is a jackass but he's good people so chill."

With a determine clap of her hands, M adds, "NOW that we're done with the boy drama. I was told that there was actual fun to be had here."

As the young woman turns on her heal and makes her way to the next stand Eli lets out a bark of laughter.

"What?" Asks Logan suspiciously.

"You were the one that came up with the 'M' nickname, right?"

Logan eyes the shorter man with no lack of distrust but nods slightly in affirmation, "And?"

Shaking his head in amusement Eli makes to follow the short blonde without replying but then turns back to Logan, "It's good. Suits her."

His parting shot leaves a surprised Logan to catch up with the two.

* * *

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you should be, that was my beer you just finished off."

"No, I mean for being a dick earlier."

M sighs, it's not something she really enjoys doing but in the spirit of maturity and all. "Thank you. And in fairness, I could maybe have handled things a little better too. I should have known two prima donnas like you and Weevil would need special directions for interacting with one another."

"I heard that," calls Eli from further down the bar where he's been in an impassioned discussion for the past twenty minutes with one of the brewery's owners about different grains. A softy AND a nerd.

"You know it's the truth!" She fires back before returning her attention to Logan. "I really wasn't expecting Weevil to show up tonight and it kind of threw me."

Logan laughs, "Neither was I but he's not so bad."

This time it's M's turn to chuckle. "You're only saying that now because Weevil's been feeding you drinks for the past three hours and he doesn't give a crap about who you are. You're intoxicated on beer and neglect. Welcome to how normal people live."

"Normal, huh?" His face breaking out in a shit-eating grin, Logan pulls her into a relaxed embrace and kisses the top of her head. "Thanks M."

The short blonde's chest constricts in response to the unspoken emotion in Logan's words and either old instincts die hard or Logan has a particular gift for waking them because M finds herself wrapping her arms around him in return and squeezing, happier than she can articulate that she agreed to come out with him tonight. While the evening definitely had a rocking start, things have turned out surprisingly well. Logan and Eli continue to lob insults back and forth but the good-natured ribbing outweighs the bite and since M is just as guilty of making disparaging comments it's not as if she's going to complain.

More than anything though, if the young woman were willing to admit to the fact, the night highlights how refreshing it is to have someone in her life that doesn't place her on a sort of a pedestal (hero, villain or otherwise). M is perhaps past denying the love and affection she feels towards her friends but for many reasons often difficult to articulate (and often of her own deign) she is separate from them. Somehow, despite her best efforts, Logan seems capable of seeing her, shortcomings and all, and still like her. The possibility that she might in turn enjoy this is both exhilarating and terrifying.

Abruptly having to get some much needed space, M pushes back from Logan's embrace. "You're really drunk Echolls and it's starting to show."

Logan releases her but reaches out to absently play with the edge of her t-shirt while his smile turns sheepish, "Yeah, that too. Still thanks for letting me actually hang out with you and one of your friends."

"You invited me out. Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

"Always with the facts. You know what I mean. I never thought I'd be granted entrance into the inner sanctum of the mysterious world of Ms. M."

"Inner sanctum?" She manages to squeak out.

"Well it's not as if I've ever really seen you hang out with other people and you don't actually say much about yourself or what's going on in that head of yours." He adds tapping a finger lightly against the side of the young woman's head before smirking. "Like who knew you had a secret obsession with ponies"

"Hey, How did you, never mind. I was a kid, lots of kids like ponies."

"That's not how Weevil was explaining things earlier. Did you seriously make your friends go to a pony petting zoo for your last birthday?"

"That man is so dead." The blonde gripes. "And if you speak a word, one word, you'll be joining him."

"Come on M, you wouldn't. I'm way too entertaining."

"Yeah, like a toothache Echolls."

"Did you really grow up across the street from Weevil?"

Eli and his loose tongue! That man seriously knows too much. On seconds thought, maybe she does have one regret about tonight. "Yeah, yeah I did. I used to follow him around a lot. He hated it until he realised that I looked so sweet and innocent that people couldn't believe I'd be up to anything nefarious. Of course it didn't hurt that he soon discovered my pinky alone was more conniving than a gang of thugs."

"Someone mistook you for innocent?" Chuckles Logan. "I take it Weevil got more than he bargained for. He's been wrapped around that pinky ever since, hasn't he?"

"You know you're really annoying Echolls."

"And you love me for it."

Instead of answering M shakes her head and takes a sip of her beer, unable to completely hide the mixture of amusement and discomfort she feels. Logan's remark hit just a tad too close to things she's not ready to consider.

* * *

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

If somone is wondering why I picked that particular nickname for V, I recognise that it's a bit odd since it was never used in the tv show but there is reason to my madness. Hopefully it'll make some sense by the end!

I actually went back and added this latest chapter when I realised that there was a bit too much of a big leap between the previous chapter and where things will be going next. This means that I have five more chapters in varying degrees of completion so hopefully it won't take me quite so long to get the next ones up!


	6. Young and Innocent

After considerable agonising, I've decided to just go ahead and post this short chapter. I've rewritten it over three times and at this point I don't think I can really do much more with it. There is considerable less humour in this one (sorry) than previous chapters but the next one should be a bit more fun. I have another I'm just about finished editing as well as a mamoth of another chapter (for my standards) all written out that I'm now trying to make some sense of. So hopefully another chapter will be up relatively again from Hitchcock.

Much, much thanks to the people leaving comments (I'm sorry I can't personally respond to the guests). Your feedback really is amazingly helpful.

* * *

The scene is one M has probably observed a few too many times for her own health and sanity, even so, it succeeds in twisting some tiny invisible device of torture deep in her gut where she likes to keep things she doesn't remember and isn't sure the absent memories would be better.

"Where did it happen this time?"

Mr. Giant Death Head Moth, as she sometimes likes to call her tall companion (it's a perfectly good name despite Wallace and Eli's complaints), looks like he's going to try and dodge around her question, which is all the answer M really needs, still, it doesn't mean she won't pass up on the opportunity to rub it in. "So at the after party that was put on for the latest indie movie premier on campus. Good to know."

She's likely going straight to hell but when the corners of the man's mouth dip down slightly exposing his discomfort, it warms her cold, cold heart.

"Tad Wilson is in town."

The remark grants M the man's full attention though he nevertheless asks skeptically. "Are you sure?"

Abstaining from an eye roll she settles on shrugging. "Hard to miss when you run right into the guy."

"Have you been compromised?"

M ignores the disapproving look being shot her way and retorts acidly. "Last time I checked I wasn't undercover in an official manner."

"You think he might have something to do with this?"

"I doubt it but either way it isn't good. He mentioned Carmen's name. I think we should probably warn her about him."

"Ms. Ruiz has moved out of state."

"And the others?"

"Don't. There isn't any way for Wilson to know where any of them are at this point. It can only be a coincidence that he's back in Neptune and there's no need to alarm anyone."

Biting her tongue, M refrains from snapping that nothing is just chance in this godforsaken town unless one considers systematically ignoring at risk populations a coincidence. Instead she nods her head towards the glass. "I'd like to have a moment in there."

Shifting slightly the blonde's companion eyes her with disapproval. "The victim doesn't remember anything, there's really no point."

The man's condescension runs so thick it's almost ingestible and she only just manages to stop herself from adopting a life of crime right there in the hallway. Instead M counts down from ten until she can open her mouth without also wrapping her hands around her companion's neck. The process is slow.

M will admit, if only to herself, that at present it's not helping that a part of her driving motivation tends to be born out of what she can only really describe (were she to dare to find the words) as an often impulsive need to survive her own ruminations and the unanswerable questions that infest the recesses of her mind. Stumbling onto this particular trail of breadcrumbs that has plunged her into the vilest dredges of society (if society still counts there) hits nerves she'd assumed long cauterized. Now the safe haven she usually finds in investigation has been turned inside out and it's dawning on her that she's presently trapped between her own thoughts and the case.

Eventually M gains some semblance of control and grits out, "You asked me in on this."

It's only the glass's slight reflectiveness that allows her to catch her companion's almost imperceptible head movement, the lone sign that he'll acquiesce to her request. The man's always been an ass about the dramatics.

Returning her attention to the panel of windows, M studies the young woman connected to the hospital bed and all its fine machinery. As the short blonde had already predicted the violence is escalating again. Unlike the very first cases though, this victim comes from a wealthy family. It's a relatively recent change in the pattern of attacks, one that at this point the blonde is fairly certain is due solely to the fact that someone is getting sloppy (or perhaps bold). Unfortunately it's the only reason anyone is listening. Yet another bitter feather M gets to stick in her hat along with the depressing vindication of having people finally look to her for answers, even if they do so grudgingly.

Weidman (she tries not to think his name too often), her dower associate, is correct about one thing (not that she has to concede much when he's only stating the obvious), there is little point dredging up what happened again with the victim. A bashed in skull will tend to do that and in the victim's present state, maybe it's a sort of cruel kindness.

However, even if it's pointless and she is merely speaking to the sterile walls, M will tell this girl that regardless of the whispers (they're always there) what happened to her was not her fault.


End file.
